On Sunday, July 25, 2021, Albemarle Road in Charlotte, NC, was busier than usual. Around 75 WeLoveU volunteers rallied to this highly transited street to give it a well-needed cleanup.  The group cleaned parts of Albemarle Road previously in 2019.

In partnership with Keep Charlotte Beautiful, WeLoveU volunteers of the North Carolina chapter dedicated their Sunday morning to clean up road litter along a one-mile stretch of Albemarle Road, from Winterhaven Drive to Central Avenue. 

The volunteers prepared early in the morning by gathering all the volunteers, going over safety precautions, and passing out trash bags and gloves. Along the way, people walking and driving by were delighted to see volunteers cleaning along Albemarle Road. Though it was a hot sunny day, the volunteers kept up high spirits. Volunteers received refreshments and water to stay hydrated under the summer sun. However, the residents encouraging words were more refreshing for the volunteers.  

Participants picked up numerous cigarette buds, plastic bottles, paper, cardboard, broken glass, and car parts during the cleanup. In total, they collected more than 25 bags of trash. The activity achieved a cleaner Albemarle Road and raised community awareness about maintaining a clean environment.

The Charlotte cleanup was part of WeLoveU’s Clean WORLD Movement in the United States: Eliminating Waste Accumulated From COVID-19. The UN’s declaration of the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration inspired the environmental campaign. The decade on ecosystem restoration is a 10-year campaign to restore various ecosystems neglected and damaged due to the pandemic. Therefore, WeLoveU organized numerous cleanups throughout June and July to help restore ecosystems. The WeLoveU Foundation members in North Carolina will continue striving to make a cleaner world through volunteerism